Effects of Perception of the Drawing Process on Visual Realism in Young Children

Abstract Children's drawing expressions change from intellectual to visual realism, wherein they express themselves through internal models using their knowledge and experiences. Previous studies have examined the factors and conditions underlying this change. Studies on the influence of perception of the drawing process in this transition are still lacking. Therefore, this study examined the influence of perception of the drawing process. We categorized 48 5‐ to 6‐year‐old children into three conditions: showing the drawing, showing the picture, and control. We analyzed the number of children who exhibited visual realism in each condition and compared the children's stroke order in each condition to analyze their drawing process. The results confirmed that perceiving the drawing process of others had an effect on children's drawing process and expressions. Although children may have paid attention to their own drawings by looking at others' drawings, the results suggested that perceiving the drawing process of others made them more aware of the relationships between the elements of a drawing and that this led to more accurate drawing.